Sports
Donald Trump Sent Footballer to Prison Over Misunderstood Tattoo
Donald Trump once deported a footballer to a terrorist prison in El Salvador after he appeared to misinterpret his tattoo, having since been released. The US president has been front and centre in the sport over the past year due to his country’s hosting duties for the upcoming 2026 World Cup, but, to the surprise of nobody, his involvement has rarely – if ever – been positive.
Perhaps the biggest talking point of Trump’s unwanted entanglement with the beautiful game is his travel ban list of 39 nations, which has repeatedly thrown the tournament – set to be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico – into chaos. Despite complications around visas, security and overall logistics, the White House leader was still awarded the peculiar inaugural FIFA peace prize by Gianni Infantino in December.
Since then, Trump, 79, has ordered attacks on Venezuela, threatened the UN over the acquisition of Greenland, and now finds himself spearheading a US-Israel operation in conflict with Iran as bombings across the Middle East continue. But there is also a little-known story within football that deserves more eyes on it.
Jerce Reyes Barrios is a footballer and children’s coach from Venezuela who was detained after taking part in protests against Nicolas Maduro’s regime in early 2024. After later fleeing the country, he travelled to the Mexican border and entered the United States in September 2024 using the CBP One app – a mobile system introduced under former president Joe Biden that allowed migrants to schedule appointments at official ports of entry.
After arriving in the US, Barrios’ attorney, Linette Tobin, said the player was eventually deported to El Salvador – allegedly because of one of his tattoos, which features a football-themed design. According to reports, as cited by UNILAD, the Department of Homeland Security claimed the tattoo suggested gang affiliation and also pointed to a photo of Barrios making a hand gesture they interpreted as a gang sign.
Tobin disputes that claim. She said the tattoo shows a crown on top of a football with the word “Dios” – Spanish for “God” – and was chosen because it resembles the crest of Barrios’ favourite team, Real Madrid. A declaration from the tattoo artist confirms the design was inspired by the Spanish club’s logo.
Barrios is reported to have no criminal record. However, authorities have alleged he is linked to Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Venezuelan transnational organised crime syndicate. Tobin said the footballer had been waiting for an immigration hearing the following month but was deported before it could take place. In court documents, she wrote that his family and legal team had lost contact with him and had not known his whereabouts before his release this year.
Trump has repeatedly claimed the Tren de Aragua gang is “invading” the United States and invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport non-US citizens suspected of links to the group. Hundreds have since been sent to El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center prison. In Barrios’ case, the Department of Homeland Security insists its assessment goes beyond a single tattoo and said it remained confident in its findings.
Inside “World’s Worst Prison” Barrios Was Sent To
CECOT (Centre for the Confinement of Terrorism) is a maximum security jail built in 2023 by the Salvadoran government to lock behind bars ‘high ranking’ members of the country’s most violent gangs. Hidden away in the middle of nowhere, the massive prison complex, known as ‘the Alcatraz of Central America’, looms as the ultimate symbol of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele’s hardline crackdown on crime.
The cells are unlike American prisons in that they are ‘built to hold 80 inmates’ or more. As well as this, inmates are held for 23.5 hours a day, far from the expected ‘luxuries’ of westernised institutions. After paying a visit to the prison, CNN’s David Culver reported: “The only furniture is tiered metal bunks, with no sheets, pillows or mattresses … an open toilet, a cement basin and plastic bucket for washing and a large jug for drinking water.”
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It is believed between 10,000 and 20,000 prisoners were housed there last year, with the 261 people shipped to the country by Trump’s administration believed to be the newest inmates at the time. The Daily Mail also went in depth with details about the prison, which has helped to create an existence designed to break even the most hardened criminals.
One inmate facing a staggering 1,500-year sentence for his alleged role in over 500 murders, kidnappings, and extortions has spent the last three years inside CECOT, where conditions are as relentless as the crimes he is accused of. The lights inside the cells never go off – blazing a full 24 hours a day Prisoners are forced to sleep on bare metal slabs, with no mattresses to cushion them, while hygiene is just as grim, with inmates washing themselves from a basin of water in cells crammed with over 40 men.
Winning the World Cup is often cited as one of the hardest things to do in football. Cristiano Ronaldo is a living testament to this. Despite being an icon of the game, the Portuguese star will now finish his career having failed to achieve this one dream.
The hopes of his nation fell apart in the Last 16 clash against Spain. The game was actually a bit of a damp squib and did not really spark into life until the dying stages. Substitute Mikel Merino came off the bench to net a 91st-minute winner, while Bernardo Silva then missed a good late chance as Portugal fell to a 1-0 defeat.
And with that, 41-year-old Ronaldo left the pitch in tears, his hopes of ever winning the World Cup finally over.
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The former Man City teammates were at each other’s throats during the game.
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While most players would have long retired, Ronaldo has continued to play into his 40s. Many feel as if this has been to the detriment of the Portuguese team, but manager Roberto Martinez (who has now quit) continued to trust in the Al-Nassr star throughout.
Ronaldo appeared desperate to win the World Cup before retiring, but has now confirmed that he won’t be part of the national team in four years time at the next tournament. That said, when speaking to the press, he did not reveal whether or not that was his final international game, saying:
“I’m sad to be leaving the World Cup like this. I gave it my all. I did my best. It was my last World Cup, yes, but I’ll now have time to reflect and be with my family. I won’t be making any rash decisions. I don’t decide anything in the heat of the moment. Now is not important whether I will continue [to play].”
Ronaldo then continued, and his next comments have caused a bit of a stir. Not necessarily known for his humility, the striker’s ego was on full display once again as he talked about his achievements with Portugal just moments after their disappointing World Cup campaign came to an underwhelming end:
“Tomorrow I will get up the same way I got up today: with a clear conscience. I played 23 years in the national team and won three titles. Before Cristiano, Portugal had not won anything. The Euros was the most important. For me, 2016 has the same dimension as a World Cup, honestly.”
The interview quickly circulated online and sparked a big response, with fans less than impressed by his arrogance. From talking in the third person to claiming the European Championship win of 2016 is as big as the World Cup, supporters took aim at Ronaldo for his comments.
One fan wrote: Cristiano Ronaldo’s ego is genuinely one of the most fragile things in football history.” They added: “This is a man who played SIX World Cups, failed in all six, never scored a single knockout goal and then started devaluing the competition he spent his entire career desperately trying to win.”
Before then concluded: “The biggest fraud, the biggest victim complex, and the most shameless propaganda machine football has ever seen.”
Another simply called him an ‘Utterly charmless individual,” while somebody else added:
“Used to not understand Cristiano Ronaldo hate but I see why now.”
One couldn’t believe the comments were real, asking: “Did he really say this?” While another added: “It’s impossible for feel sorry for him man, I tried, I did.”
Adding to the hate, somebody suggested: “This is why his teammates will never play for him… sore loser!” While a final fan said:
“You wonder why people don’t respect him despite his achievements, well this is one. You never see Messi making statements like this. For someone that had little goal contributions on the course of winning those trophies, it’s very arrogant and selfish to take the glory of the win all to yourself.”
Spain will now play Belgium in the World Cup quarter-finals, while Portugal will have to fly home and prepare for a future without Ronaldo.
FIFA have released a statement after US President Donald Trump described 2026 World Cup referee Raphael Claus as “very suspect”.
Brazilian official Claus was the ref who sent off Folarin Balogun during the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia & Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
Balogun was initially suspended for the USMNT’s last 16 clash against Belgium, but the AS Monaco forward was controversially allowed to play after FIFA suspended his one-game ban.
Trump: Claus Past ‘Very Suspect’
It later emerged that Trump, who has close ties with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, personally intervened after describing Claus’ decision to send off Balogun as “horrible”.
“I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain,” Trump said before the United States faced Belgium. “I can’t tell them what to do. I don’t believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision.”
Trump went further by describing Claus as “a little bit suspect”, adding: “If you check his past. Very suspect. I don’t want to say that because I don’t like to create controversy. If you like I’ll provide you with the past.” Watch the clip below:
FIFA and Collina Issue Statement
After Claus’s integrity was called into question by arguably the most powerful person on the planet, FIFA have responded with a statement defending their South American match official. The statement reads:
“FIFA recognises Raphael Claus as one of the world’s leading professional referees and a valued member of Team One at the FIFA World Cup. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.”
Pierluigi Collina, the legendary Italian official who now works as FIFA’s Referee Committee Chairman, added:
“Raphael Claus is refereeing at his second FIFA World Cup having been with us in Qatar in 2022. He is an experienced and highly respected referee and we maintain full confidence in him as a trusted match official.”
United States Knocked Out By Belgium
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Despite a suspension being placed on Balogun’s one-match ban, the United States were knocked out of the World Cup after suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat against Belgium.
Belgium rubbed salt into American wounds with two savage post-match tweets, while the players were seen mocking Trump shortly before the final whistle.
The Belgians will now face Spain, who defeated Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal on Monday, at the Los Angeles Stadium on Friday.
The winners of that tie will take on either France, the current tournament favourites, or Morocco in the semi-finals next Tuesday.
Arsenal have opened talks to sign a Manchester City midfielder in the summer transfer window as they look to bolster Mikel Arteta’s young options.
It’s not so often you see players move between Arsenal and Man City, although there have been a handful in recent years.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko are two recent examples, but there’s unlikely to be too many in the future due to their Premier League rivalry.
The Gunners are in the market for reinforcements this summer as they aim to build on what was a phenomenal 25/26 season.
The North London club will be hoping to go one better in the Champions League and lift the trophy, but they will also aim to win the Premier League title once again.
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Arsenal hold talks for Man City star
According to a report from Team Talk, Arsenal have held talks to sign Manchester City midfielder Xavier Parker in the summer transfer window.
City are hoping to keep hold of the 16-year-old talent and have offered him a new contract, believed to be one of the biggest financially for a player his age in Europe.
Parker, described as a ‘powerhouse’, is yet to commit his long-term future to City, which has alerted a number of clubs around Europe, including Arsenal.
The Gunners are set to face competition from a number of clubs, including Premier League sides. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig are also keen, while Real Madrid are aware of his situation.
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Arsenal eyeing Morgan Rogers deal
In terms of strengthening their first team, Arsenal are in talks to sign Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers in the summer transfer window.
The Midlands club have slapped a £130m price tag on his head, and it remains to be seen whether the Gunners will get close to that figure.
Arsenal are looking to bring in young talent from around the world, but they will also be looking to add new signings to improve the senior squad.
Mikel Arteta’s side certainly don’t need to panic when it comes to additions for the first team after such an impressive 25-26 season, which saw them win the Premier League title.
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